Electroplating process.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IiRAIhTC-IS J. MOELHONE, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTROPLATING PROCESS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. Mo- ELHoNn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Electroplating Process,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electroplating or electrotyping, and theobject of the invention is to provide an improved process for treatingthe molds or cases, which will improve the quality of the work andhasten the electroplating operation.

The present invention may be considered an improvement on the processcovered by my patent for electroplating process No. 973,951, grantedOctober 25, 1910; and concerns itself especially with the manner inwhich the agent is applied.

The invention consists in the process to be described more fullyhereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

In practising the process according to the present invention, animpression from the engraving or type is taken in a case of wax orsimilar plastic material covered with graphite or a similar conductivefacing. After the impression is taken the case is cut down and built upin the manner well known in the art. The face of the case is then dustedover lightly with dry graphite. I then treat the face of the case with asolution having the following composition: 1 gallon of water, 2 lbs. ofgraphite, 100 grs. of pyrogallic acid. This mixture may be applied bymeans of a brush or a forcepump. The action of the acid appears to bebeneficial because it tends to prevent the formation of bubbles on theface of the case.

It seems that the great pressure to which the case is subjected intaking the impression of the type, has the effect of bringing to thesurface lighter oils such as paraflin. This fact was noted in myprevious application referred to above. The acid dissolves these lighteroils and frees the face of the case from grease. If ink should be leftadhering to the face of the case by the type, this ink will also bedissolved off by the acid. After treating the case as described above,it is rinsed oif thoroughly in water to remove the acid and foreignsubstances in solution; and the graphite that does not firmly adhere tothe case. The case is then ready to be immersed in the plating bath.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 11, 1907. Serial No. 373,046.

Patented May 7, 1912.

The presence of the graphite in the solution is advantageous as it tendsto deposit in a uniform coat upon the face of the case.

Other acids which may be used are tannic, gallitannic or gallic acid, orany of the acids of the benzin series, or carbocyclic series.

If the depositing of the metal in the electroplating bath seems slow, itmay be hastened by treating the face of the case with the well knownsolution of blue-stone and iron filings, just before immersion in theplating bath.

I have discovered that the composition of the plating bath is of unusualimportance when used with cases treated with acid as described above. Iproduce the best effects with a solution of the following com position:1 gallon of water, 23 ounces and 205 grains of sulfate of copper or bluevitriol, 6 fluid ounces of sulfuric acid or oil. of vitriol. Thespecific-gravity of this mixture will be about 17.5 Baum. The solutionmay be made more or less concentrated by changing the proportion ofwater, but I find that the proportions of the copper sulfate andsulfuric acid relative to each other should remain unchanged. Inpractice the acid solution with which the cases are treated can be usedrepeatedly. However, it will be found that the solution becomescontaminated with grease and ink to an undesirable extent. WVhennecessary, the mixture may be allowed to stand until the black leadsettles and the liquid may be drawn off. Then more liquid may be addedto the black lead to be used again on the cases.

It will be found that wax will accumulate in the mixture when used againand again as suggested, and this tends to cling to the face of the case,preventing the production of perfect plates. From time to time this waxmay be removed by heating the mixture, which brings the wax to thesurface. This scum formed at the surface is then removed by skimming.

I wish to emphasize the importance of the rinsing which the case isgiven before immersion in the plating bath. This rinsing should bethorough so that all of the acid and its products on the face of thecase are removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The process of making electroplates,

which comprises treating the face of the case with a solution containinga solvent which dissolves the light oils and foreign matter, saidsolution also containing a finely divided conducting substance whichdeposits on the face of the case, and plating thereafter.

2. The process of making electroplates, which comprises washing the faceof the case with a solution containing an ink solvent and a finelydivided conducting substance which deposits upon the face of the case,rinsing and plating thereafter.

'3. The process of making electroplates, which comprises impressing awaX case with the type, treating said case thereafter with a solutioncontaining a weak acid and graphite, rinsing said case to remove theacid, and plating thereafter.

4. The process of making electroplates,

which comprises treating the face of the case with a solvent, thenrinsing thoroughly to remove the solvent and plating thereafter in abath originally containing approximately the proportions of 1 gallon ofw: ter, 23 ounces, 205 grains of copper sulfate 7 and 6 fluid ounces ofsulfuric acid.

5. The process of making electroplates, which comprises washing the faceof the case with a solution containing a finely divided conductingsubstance, which will deposit upon the face of the case rinsing saidface, and plating thereafter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS J. MoELHONE. lVitnesses:

F. D. AMMEN,

EVERARD B. MAnsHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

